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Huawei P8 Lite Review: The lite side of mid-range handsets

16 October 2017

Huawei’s lite alternative to the P8 is a mid-tier handset with some impressive features and a budget price tag.

15 January 2015: Aside from a few insignificant set-backs (like the outdated Android OS) there is no doubt that the Huawei P8 Lite is an exceptional handset considering its $249.99 price-tag. It is one of many increasingly impressive mid-tier handsets, such as the Alcatel OneTouch Idol 3.

The Huawei P8 Lite and similar handsets do prove one thing, and that’s that mid-range handsets have come a long way in 2015.

Check below for a rundown of specs and find out exactly what features you miss out on when opting for the lite variation on the P8.

Upsides: Why you’d want the Huawei P8 Lite

Pseudo-metal design: From afar, the P8 Lite could pass from a premium handset. Its rear casing is made to look like brushed aluminium and you could be forgiven for mistaking it for just that at first glance. Its backplate is also two-toned, reminiscent of the iPhone 5. This grants the low-price handset a touch of class.

The price is right: It’s obvious by the table above what you’re trading off for a $200 price cut, but $249 is manageable for those who either aren’t interested in forking out for the most powerful phone on the market, or have lost or broken their contract phone and need a cheap alternative to tide them over.

Clean user interface (UI): Huawei’s EMUI 3.0 is, in some ways, very neat. The slim lettering and opaque overlays in calls and notifications look professional, but this is at odds with the bright and bubbly app icons. In certain areas, the EMUI 3.0 looks clean cut and at others it looks like a teenager’s overly-customised Android skin. Some apps, like Slack, also have a sticker-like design, which truly nails that thirteen year old’s scrapbook aesthetic.

Downsides: Why you might not want the Huawei P8 Lite

Mediocre battery life: After the iPhone 6s, the Huawei P8 Lite has the shortest battery life out of every handset we’ve tested. While the Idol 3’s battery lasted over an hour longer than the Huawei P8 Lite, it’s worth noting the P8 Lite’s battery score. Essentially, that score denotes how hard the processor was working throughout the test – the short lived battery life makes sense considering the inferior processor of the P8 Lite.

Handset

Geekbench 3 Battery Test Duration

Geekbench 3 Battery Score

Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+

8:24:10

5041

Apple iPhone 6S Plus

7:48:10

4681

Samsung Galaxy S6

6:51:30

4115

Google Nexus 5X

7:14:20

4062

Google Nexus 6P

6:39:20

3754

Sony Xperia Z5

5:41:30

3414

LG G4

5:27:50

3224

Huawei P8 Lite

4:39:40

2768

Apple iPhone 6s

3:52:10

2321

Alcatel OneTouch Idol 3

5:42:00

2276

We did find ourselves having to charge the P8 Lite before the work day was out, and were consistently notified about the email app consuming a large portion of power.

Touchy volume buttons that launch the camera: The Huawei P8 Lite conveniently allows you to access the camera from the lock screen by double-tapping the volume down button. This is handy. Maybe a little too handy. The volume buttons are sensitive, and can be depressed simply by brushing the side of the handset. This resulted in far too many pocket photos.

No central app drawer: If you were coming to the Huawei P8 Lite from iOS you wouldn’t notice this, but it could irritate Android veterans who like to keep their home screens clutter-free.

Ordinary display: From a distance, the P8 Lite’s 720p display doesn’t look overly drab. However, from a normal viewing distance, the subpar resolution is noticeable. This also devalues the 13MP camera. Ultimately, this is what could drive many to the Alcatel Idol 3.

Who is it best suited for? What are my other options?

The Huawei P8 Lite will best suit three groups. Firstly, teenagers who aren’t quite ready to be trusted with the latest Samsung Galaxy phone or equivalent. Secondly, someone looking for a temporary (but reliable) replacement for their lost/shattered premium phone. Finally it would suit someone looking for a handset with all the core features of an Android smartphone, but who isn’t too concerned with power or battery life. Conversely, the Huawei P8 Lite’s battery life makes it a bad choice for someone who is constantly on their phone.

The closest alternatives to the Huawei P8 Lite are the Oppo R5 and the Alcatel OneTouch Idol 3, the latter of which is an arguably better choice.

Where can I get it?

The Huawei P8 Lite can be purchased online through several leading retailers.

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